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Coat of arms of Alberta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
King Edward VII granted the Coat of Arms of Alberta (formally known as The Arms of Her Majesty in Right of Alberta) to Alberta by Royal Warrant on May 30, 1907. On July 30, 1980, Queen Elizabeth II augmented the armorial bearings with a crest, supporters, and a motto, also by Royal Warrant. The coat of arms represents the natural resources and beauty of the varied of Alberta landscape: the Rocky Mountains and their foothills, the grass prairies, and the cultivated wheat fields.
The shield is also featured on the Flag of Alberta.
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The shield features, from top to bottom, a red St. George's cross on a white background (an allusion to the arms of the Hudson's Bay Company, which once controlled what is now Alberta), blue sky, snow-capped mountains, green hills, prairie, and a wheat field. Some authorities consider this borderline landscape heraldry and would have preferred a more "heraldic" design.[citation needed]
The crest sits above the shield and consists of a helmet crowned with a red and silver wreath, on top of which sits a beaver, resting on top of which is the Royal Crown. White and red are the official colours of Canada, and the beaver is the official animal of Canada.
The supporters sit on either side of the shield and consist of a golden lion on the left (representing power) and a pronghorn antelope on the right (representing Alberta's natural resources). Neither of these is the official animal of Alberta (which is the bighorn sheep).
The compartment or base is a grassy mount with wild roses, the official flower of Alberta, and beneath that is a scroll with the motto of Alberta: Fortis et Liber, meaning "strong and free", a phrase from the English lyrics of "O Canada".
- Shield
- Azure, in front of a range of snow mountains proper a range of hills Vert, in base a wheat field surmounted by a prairie both also proper, on a chief Argent a St. George's cross.
- Crest
- Upon a Helm with a Wreath Argent and Gules a Beaver couchant upholding on its back the Royal Crown both proper.
- Supporters
- On the dexter side a Lion Or armed and langued Gules and on the sinister side a Pronghorn Antelope (Antilocapra americana) proper.
- Compartment
- Comprising a grassy mount with the Floral Emblem of the Said Province of Alberta, the Wild Rose (Rosa acicularis), growing therefrom proper.
- Motto
- Fortis et Liber (Strong and Free).
Provinces: Alberta – British Columbia – Manitoba – New Brunswick – Newfoundland and Labrador – Nova Scotia – Ontario – Prince Edward Island – Quebec – Saskatchewan
Territories: Northwest Territories – Nunavut – Yukon Territory
| Topics on Alberta | ||
|---|---|---|
| History | Fur trade • Numbered Treaties • Alberta Act • Oil exploration • Social Credit • Historic sites |  |
| Politics | Political parties • Elections (last) • Government • Lieutenant Governor • Cabinet • Premiers (current) • Speaker • Legislature • Electoral districts (federal) | |
| Geography | Demographics • Mountains • Provincial parks • Lakes • Rivers | |
| Communities | Counties and Municipal Districts • Towns • Villages • Hamlets • Indian Reserves • Métis • Census divisions | |
| Economy | Companies • ATB • Tourism • Highways • Airports | |
| Culture | Education • Festivals • First Nations • Franco-Albertan • Music • People • Symbols • Flag • Coat of arms • Anthem | |